


Into the Darkness

by Luffymarra



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Addiction, Dark Cullen, Dubious Consent, M/M, Manipulation, Rough Sex, Torture, mods please tell me if other i can put ×
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 02:20:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8185310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luffymarra/pseuds/Luffymarra
Summary: Cullen slowly gives into his darker side. Fulling for the-black-emporium exchange.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Floranna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floranna/gifts).



> For Floranna I hope you like it. This work is betaed by buhne and Zoe.

Meredith looked over her new sword, a shiver of pleasure working its way down her spine. She could feel the power of that strange lyrium calling to her, begging her to use it. Shaking her head, she sheathed it, there was no reason to use such a magnificent weapon. Not yet anyway. Turning to leave the enchanting room, she was stopped when the tranquil called her title.

"Knight-Commander?" The former mage stood there, silent and still, until she had turned and nodded for him to continue. "There is still some lyrium left over from the idol, enough for one small blade," he said, waiting for Meredith to instruct him. She seemed surprised, but after a moment of thought a smile crossed her face.

*****************************************************

Cullen turned the corner down the hallway to the Knight-Commander's office. Ahead he could see a young Templar Corporal standing over a seemingly cowering mage. The Corporal saluted him while the mage glared, covering a red mark on his face: one of the new mages that had been recently brought to the Circle. Several books lay scattered around him, some open, others with broken spines, others with ripped pages. Cullen raised his eyes back to the mage.

“Those books are not supposed to leave the library, mage. Explain yourself," he ordered.

"Go to the void, Templar! I don't have to tell you anything," the mage yelled as his hands began to glow with gathering power. Power that was cut off when a Holy Smite sent him flying into the wall.

"My apologies, Knight-Captain, I forgot to drain his mana when I first caught him with the books," the corporal said nervously.

"I'll over-look your negligence this time, but remember from now on that mages are never to be trusted. They are little better than animals, and will always look for a way to undermine us," Cullen said, looking at the mage in disgust before turning to the corporal. "Take him and place him in one of the solitary cells in the dungeon. Maybe a few days in isolation will teach him to remember the rules of this Circle." Cullen ignored the alarmed sound from the mage behind him. When he stepping back, the corporal grabbed the mage and roughly dragged him down the hall. Once they were out of sight, Cullen turned and continued on his way to the Commander’s office.

“Ah, Rutherford, at easy,” Meredith said, when he came to stand at attention by her desk. “It occurred to me that I failed to give you a gift when you were promoted to be my Knight-Captain,” Cullen opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand to stop him. “Yes, I know that I don’t have to, but you have been a shining example of what a Templar should be. I believe many of the younger recruits will benefit from learning under your leadership.”

“I…thank you Knight-Commander,” Cullen said. Meredith nodded her head and reached down to pull a wrapped package from the drawer of her desk.

“I recently bought a very unique material off a dwarf, and had the tranquil make an augmented weapon for me. It was then brought to my attention that there was enough left for one more augmentation. So I had this created with the last of it.” Meredith held out the package.

Cullen unwrapped it curiously; a dagger doubled-edged, with several boosting runes etched into the blade. What was odd to him, was the dim red glow that seemed to be infused into the whole blade. The longer he looked at the blade the stranger he felt, like there was power flowing from it waiting for him to take it, like he would never have to fear anything again with this blade in hand, like…

A movement to his left startled him out of his daze and he blinked several times, feeling like his head was coming out of a fog.

“Thank you for this gift, Knight-Commander. I promise to make good use of it when the time comes.” Cullen paused and attached the sheath to his belt. “That said: I found a corporal questioning a mage that had taken books from the library without permission. The mage tried to power up an attack, so I had the Corporal take him to solitary for the next few days.” Meredith frowned distastefully.

“Make it two weeks, one for the books and another for trying to attack two Templars. We can’t go easy on such behavior or others will try the same thing. We must always keep order within the Circle.”

That night, he placed it under his pillow, heart racing for no apparent reason.

*****************************************************

Several days later, Cullen stood at his usual post in the Gallows courtyard, watching the mages and general public bustling about. He sighed and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. His dreams the last few nights had been strange. They weren’t filled with the usual sounds of his fellow Templars screaming and dying, but instead with moans and groans, pleasure and pain entwined in hoarse faceless voices. He wasn’t sure which annoyed him more; the fact that he couldn’t see anything but faceless red shadows, or the fact that he woke up each morning achingly hard.

“You look about as bad as I feel.” Cullen looked up, then snorted.

“Samson. You only have yourself to blame. You’re just lucky the Knight-Commander decided to only cut your lyrium rations, instead of kicking you out of the Templars like she could have. The Chantry is very clear on its views of helping mages send unauthorized letters. Who knows what could have truly been in those. We’re already having trouble with a mages disappearing every few months or so; those letters could have been just the clues we needed.”

Samson didn’t answer him, long enough for Cullen to frown and inspect him closer. He looked worn, ragged, and as Cullen watched he drew a shaky, wheezing breath.

“Ral…” Cullen took a breath, Samson did indeed look about a bad as he felt.

***********************************************

Cullen lead Samson back into the Keep, arm under his to steady him. Samson looked around hesitantly when they reached Cullen’s quarters; no one had been to visit him since he’d made Knight-Captain, and the benefits were…substantial. Samson quickly adjusted, though his attention fixing on the glowing blue vial that Cullen pulled from his desk.

“You didn’t get this from me. Make it last.”

“I will! I’ll repay you somehow. I promise, Cullen,” Samson swore, clutching the vial to his chest. Cullen watched him leave and felt something stir in his chest, but he ignored it to go about his rounds.

*********************************************

Cullen walked down the step, his footsteps echoing throughout the empty hallway. This was one of the least used sections of the Gallows, yet he had seen many Templars sneak down here recently. An Investigation was only justified.

Running footsteps interrupted him; he braced himself just as someone collided hard with his shoulder. The mage hit the ground hard even as Cullen cast an instinctive Silence and Holy Smite on him. A moment later he recognized the mage that he had ordered to solitary.

“Rutherford?” Cullen looked up to see Alrik coming down the hall, two other Templars flanking him. “Good work, Ser. I’m not sure how he escaped his ropes, but I’m glad you caught him. This one has been causing no end of trouble for us, and I just gained the Knight-Commander’s permission to make him tranquil. Care to watch?”

Once, Cullen would have said no. Once, Cullen would have checked Alrik’s story with Meredith, but suddenly he felt a dark want surge through his chest and what came out of his mouth instead was, “Only if I can be the one to brand him.”

Cullen watched Alrik blink in surprise, before a smirk crossed his face and he bowed, throwing out an arm invitingly.

“By all means, Knight-Captain. I would be honored if you helped me teach this mage his proper place.”

He placed an arm around Cullen’s shoulders and lead him deeper into the Keep. Once they reached the room, it was impossible not to stare at all the torture devices, heart thumping in his chest. Half of this equipment he had only ever read about, seen illustrations of; they were monstrous in reality, glowing red in his mind’s eye.

Alrik’s men were forcing the mage to his knees in the center of the room. He was begging, tears streaming down his face as he tried to shout out, but the Silence Cullen had cast held firm and true. The mage didn’t make a sound.

“How would you like him, Knight-Captain?” Alrik asked, already holding out the glowing brand, like they were available at any time.

“Just like that,” Cullen breathed, dark anticipation simmering in his blood. “Hold him still.”

Alrik smiled, going around to pull the mage’s hood back, and twist his hand into his hair, tightly gripping his jaw. The mage tried to fight back, but drained of mana and Silenced, he was no match for the three men holding him. Walking closer, Cullen stared into the pleading eyes of the mage, then slowly and firmly placed the brand to his forehead.

He held it there, watching as fear filled those eyes, then terror, then agony until slowly every emotion began to disappear; until only a blank gaze met his eyes. Removing the brand, Cullen breathed deeply, smelling burnt flesh and hot metal, sweat and blood and red-hot power crackling in the air. Heat pooled in his belly; he realized slowly that he was hard, his cock straining in his breeches.

Alrik release the mage’s head so he hung limply between the other two Knights. Cullen looked up and shared a smile with him.

“Magnificent, Rutherford! Maybe you would like to join me for some mage hunting in the city tomorrow.”

“I would be delighted to join you,” Cullen said, anticipation running through his veins. “Maybe once we have caught one, we can bring them here and you can show me how some of these devices work.”

Alrik’s stared at him a moment, and then promptly barked a laugh. “Caught the taste for it, have you? Good on you, Knight-Captain. Good on you.”

************************************************

Later that same day, there was a knock on his door, and he opened it to see Samson standing there, shakes traveling through his body.

“Cullen, I need to speak with you,” Samson said, and entered the room when Cullen moved to the side. “I need some more dust. It’s been so long and yet the Knight-Commander still has me on half rations. It isn’t enough!”

Cullen watched him rant and pace his office for a moment then went to his desk and pulled another vile from his drawer. Samson was crowding him like an eager puppy, but Cullen slowly pushed him back until he hit the wall, that same thrill of this morning pooling in his gut: power and pleasure and red red red.

“You think I’m just going to let you take some again?” Cullen asked, voice low. “I think not, Ral. I think it’s time I started to collect on some of the payment I’m owned. Don’t you?”

 Samson could barely nod before Cullen captured his mouth in a deep kiss. Samson groaned as Cullen gripped his hair tightly, using it to move his head to deepen the kiss and then expose his throat as Cullen nipped him there, hard, dragging a rough moan from Samson, whose arms came up around him, begging for more. Cullen pressed a thigh between his legs, smirking at the bulge there, and he was just about to do something about it when there was a knock at the door.

“Knight-Captain? I have a message from the Knight-Commander for you, Ser.”

“Just a moment!” Cullen growled, and pulled back from Samson, looking at him with hungry eyes. “I’ll be collecting the rest of my payment soon, Samson. I except you to be ready to pay up.” Cullen stole one more deep, possessive kiss before pulling away, fixing himself and letting the messenger into the room, uncaring of Samson scurrying away throbbing red mark on his neck for all to see.

*************************************************************

Cullen watched the mages in the courtyard, thinking back to his latest dream. There had been blood and pain, the smell of burn flesh filling his nose. In fact, Cullen could have sworn that he could still smell it when he woke, and instead of being revolted, he had craved to place the brand to someone’s head. To have that power once more in his hands.

“Just look at them, Rutherford.” Cullen looked over at Alrik, watching the courtyard beside him. “They think we don’t realize that they plan and plot behind our backs, that we won’t catch them, punish them.”

“And yet, somehow, they keep escaping from right under our noses.” Cullen growled, world flashing red, his fist slamming into the wall next to the window. “Two more have disappeared this week and we are still no closer to figuring out how it is happening. I’ve seen them laughing at us, mocking us, Alrik. Each day they grow bolder thinking we can’t stop them. It would be so much easier if they were all Tranquil, then they’d do whatever we told them.”

“All mages tranquil?” Alrik said, a smile of delight forming on his face. “That’s one of the best ideas I’ve ever heard. I’ll work it out and send plans to the Knight-Commander and the Grand Cleric.”

“I wish you luck on that, my friend.” Cullen said, glancing at him askance. “Unfortunately, I think you will find it harder to get permission than you think.”

“We’ll see,” Alrik said, smiling. “You want to help me with my latest order of Tranquility?”

Cullen felt his mouth curve, warmth filling his belly.

“Nothing would delight me more.”

****************************************************

The knock on his door was quiet, three quick taps.

Cullen smirked, “Enter!”

Samson slipped in, shoulders hunched, locking the door behind him.

“Strip,” Cullen ordered from his seat in front of the fire. He watched Samson quickly pull off his armor, his hungry eyes devouring each piece of skin as it was bared to his eyes. “On your knees, crawl over to me.” Samson crawled until he was kneeling between his legs, and watched as Cullen parted the robe he had on, uncovering his rapidly hardening member.

“Suck it.” Cullen ordered, and frowned as Samson hesitated. “Maybe a little motivation to get you started.” He then pours a small amount of lyrium onto his cock. Samson’s eyes widen, before he surged forward and began to lick, trying to catch every last drop.

Cullen moaned softly, allowing a few more licks, before grabbing his hair and moving his head, until he could slowly push his erection between his lips. He grinned as Samson moaned at the manhandling and began to suck hard, as Cullen used his grip to slowly fuck his face. Several times, Cullen held Samson’s head so his nose hit the blonde’s groin, loving the feel of the other’s throat spasms around his member. Nothing wanting the night to end too soon, Cullen pulled the other off and seeing the pleasure filled, glazed eyes, issued his next order.

“Crawl over to the bed. Get on it with your ass up in the air.” Cullen watched Samson’s eyes focus just a little and the other man stared before nodding and making his way over to the bed, getting into the position that Cullen wanted. Cullen stood up slowly, enjoying the view as he pulled the robe off and picked up the vial of lyrium.

Cullen ran his hand over Samson’s ass, before smacking it hard, gaining a loud moan. He did this several times, the moans growing in volume, and then he stopped, making Samson give a noise of protest. A sound that was cut off as the first lyrium covered finger circled his entrance before pushing inside. Cullen felt desire course through his blood as he felt how hot and tight he man was - he wanted to be buried in that heat so badly.

“Cullen, Maker, more!” Samson yelled, feeling the tingle of the lyrium Cullen was using to open him up. He ignored the burn of the stretch, wanting more, wanting this man.

Cullen barely waited to get three fingers into Samson, stretching him a little before he turned the other man over, slicking up his member with the last of the lyrium and pushed inside him in one go. Samson moaned out in both pain and pleasure, and Cullen gripped his hips before he pulled out, setting a hard, fast pace.

Samson moaned and cried out beneath him, and Cullen couldn’t help but think this was much better than the dreams that had be plaguing him. He could hear Samson begging for more, for harder, for him not to stop. Each sound went straight to Cullen’s groin, but there was one thing he had to make sure of, one thing that he couldn’t leave to chance.

Letting go of the other’s hips, one of Cullen’s hands wrapped around Samson’s member while the other wrapped around his neck, squeezing until Samson’s eyes locked with his, continuing to pound into him.

“You’re mine, Rals. You’ll always be mine. You’re to come to me every night. If you don’t, I’ll make sure the Knight-Commander cuts all of your rations off. Do I make myself clear?” Cullen questioned, the hand on Samson’s neck lessening just enough for the other man to nod. Once he had, Cullen began to stroke his member, changing the angle of his thrust so that he was hitting Samson’s sweet spot. It didn’t take long for Samson to come, and the tightening of his entrance brought Cullen over the edge with him.

Later Cullen laid with Samson in his arms, his hand running through his hair, Samson’s tight hold telling him that he had no desire to leave. A fact that had Cullen’s own arms tightening; he would never allow anyone to take Samson from him.

*************************************************************

Cullen watched from the shadows; as Anders talked with one of the mages in the courtyard. Once the blond mage left, Cullen followed the circle mage and gave the signal once they were away from prying eyes. Cullen smiled as he watched the mage slam to the ground, Samson and one of Alrik’s Templars stepping out of the shadows to join him. Grabbing the mage by the arm, hard enough to bruise, they dragged him down several deserted halls before coming to Alrik’s special room. Tossing the man to the floor, Cullen went over and stood by Alrik.

“So this is the one?” Alrik asked, and received a nod from Cullen.

“Yes, I’ve seen him talking with Anders several times, and you did say that he was a part of a forming mage rebellion. So it stands to reason that this mage will know how they are escaping. Once we know, we’ll be able to put a stop to this rebellion before it can grow too powerful. Strap him to the table!” Cullen ordered, watching in satisfaction as the other Templars moved to obey him.

“Knight-Captain, I…” Cullen looked over to where Samson stood, his eyes locked to the ground, and quickly realized what was the matter. Walking over, he lifted up Samson’s chin and smiled gently at him.

“Go, I will deal with this, but keep a close eye out for anymore of Anders’ or Hawke’s friends that might come to the Gallows. We need to know who they are talking too,” Cullen said, watching as Samson nodded and left the room.

“You’re too easy on him, Rutherford,” Alrik said, and quickly backed up from the glare that Cullen leveled at him.

“How I am with Samson, is none of your business,” Cullen hissed, as he stalked up to Alrik, who quickly held up his hands in a calming gesture.

“My apologies, Knight-Captain. You’re right, it is none of my business, I’m just angered that the Knight-Commander and Grand Cleric rejected my Tranquil Solution.” Alrik picked up a whip from off the table and walking over to the bound mage. “But maybe if I bring them the leaders of the rebellion, they’ll start to see the good of my plan.”

The next several hours were filled with screams and pleadings to stop, along with the sounds of leather striking hard and the smell of burning flesh, but through it all the mage remained stubborn and refused to tell them how the other mages were escaping. Wiping off the blood that landed on his face, Cullen went over and pulled the brand out of the fire.

“Hold him still,” Cullen ordered, and stalked up to the table to ram the brand onto the mage’s forehead. The scream the man let out was music to his ears and Cullen watched with glee as the emotions left the man’s eyes.

“Now, mage, you will answer all of our questions. Do I make myself clear?” Alrik asked, coming to stand by Cullen.

“Yes, Sers,” the mage answered, his monotone voice causing smiles to spread across their faces.

***********************************************

Years later, Cullen curled up with Samson, the events of the last few days, still running through his head. The explosion of the Chantry, the rebelling of the mages, the abominations, the demons, and then Meredith going crazy and attacking everyone in sight. Running his hands up Samson’s back and over his healing wounds, Cullen felt his anger surge again. Meredith harming what was his; is what had truly made him help the Champion and his mage lover fight against her. Otherwise, he would have left them to fight her on their own, but no one harms what is his and lives long.

“Cullen,” Samson moaned, and Cullen looked down at him looking up at him. He reached out to brush his hand through the others hair. “What will we do now?”

Cullen rolled him over onto his back and slowly pressed his member into Samson’s entrance, watching as the other man gasped and arched his back. Starting a slow, deep pace, he angled to hit Samson’s sweet spot each time.

“We, my dear Rals, once the city has settled down, will go out and hunt down the Champion and his mage lover. When we find them, I look forward to making them both Tranquil and, then turning them over to the Chantry. Their screams, as the brand take their emotions, will be so sweet. Or maybe I’ll do the Champion first, so Anders can feel the despair of have his lover stare at him without an ounce of emotion. Then he’ll go into solitary again; while I leave the Champion for the other Templars to take care of. I just haven’t decided yet,” Cullen said, his excitement growing with each image that entered his mind. Along with the pained and pleasured moans that escaped from Samson’s mouth, his thrusts became harder and faster. This pace continued until they came as one. Once cleaned up, they fell asleep neither one noticing the note passed under their door.


End file.
